The Shang Empire
Basic Geography The largest and most populous state, occupying the central eastern portion of the continent. An ancient, united empire administered by a meritorious bureaucracy. The northern half is temperate, fertile farmland, irrigated by an intricate network of dams and canals. The irrigation systems tap a major river that occasionally floods. Containing the cradle of Shang civilization, the north also boasts the most ancient cities and temples. The southern half of the country is subtropical and subsists on wet-rice agriculture. The southern coastal cities, with their dockyards and trading posts, are the boomtowns of Shang. Compared to the other cultures, the Shang are highly urbanized, boasting many populous cities. The cities are typically well planned and walled. Borders The Shang Empire has a long coastline, giving them access to the ocean. A peninsula on the eastern coast forms the kingdom of Koguryo. There is a smaller peninsula in the southeast, covered in dense jungle and swampland. To the south is the impassable Indic mountains. The eastern border is marked by the Great Western Desert. To the north and northeast are wide open steppes inhabited by the pastoralist tribes. Politics and History In ancient times (more than 1750 years ago) the country was divided between petty kings and warlords. This era ended when the Great Sage King (later Emperor) conquered and negotiated his way to total domination. The kings and great houses became his ruling nobility, but towards the end of his long life he abolished the system of noble rule in favor of an examination system that selected technocrats and scholars to administer the state. This sparked a series of noble-led provincial rebellions. Though they commanded experienced armies, the noble rebels were divided by old rivalries. The rebellions were contained and eventually crushed by the Sage Emperor's newly formed conscript army. The descendants of the ancient nobility still control great estates and manors and their family names are famous and well respected. Given the resources and the ambition at their disposal, the ancient nobility is well represented in the civil and military administrations, although they have to apply just like everyone else. Descendants of the Sage Emperor still reign in Shang, although they are somewhat detached from the task of ruling, rarely leaving the Imperial palace. More active emperors regularly hold council with their top ministers and generals, setting imperial policy and delegating tasks. Less competent or less interested emperors leave management to palace eunuchs or a prime minister. When an emperor is incapacitated, or too young to rule, either the empress or royal-mother rules as regent. Society Villages are the basic organizing unit of rural society, and most villages are associated with the nearest city, where the farmers might bring their produce. Villages are composed of free peasant families and generally operate on a cooperative basis. Village elders typically represent their community to outsiders and government ministers. The only ministers that villages have regular contact with are the tax collectors, magistrates and draft officers. Most peasants own their land, except for the renters living on the large noble estates. Still, they are free and not serfs. Much of the population is urban rather than rural, working as merchants, crafts people, professionals, laborers, sailors, etc. The townsmen have much closer interactions with the imperial government than rural folk, dealing with watchmen, custom inspectors, censors, soldiers and sailors. The cities are rich and diverse places, especially the ports that bring in traders from across the region. Many great houses in the cities have bondservants, but their term of service is limited to a few years by law. Military Shang commands a huge conscript army, based in fortress garrisons throughout the country. The greatest concentration of troops are in the north. The armed forces are primarily infantry, armed with spears, crossbows and large, pavaise-like shields. Heavy shock cavalry operate on the wings, countering enemy cavalry, breaking enemy infantry formations and pursuing feeling foes. All these elements operate in close coordination, requiring extensive training and professional leadership. Soldier's drill their formations daily. Skilled soldiers can rise through the ranks to become NCOs, with opportunities to join the military academy. When new recruits are brought in for training, those among them that demonstrate leadership are selected as officer candidates and sent off to the military academy for training. Through these two paths, the army is supplied with all its commanders, right up to the generals and marshals. Occasionally, civilian ministers are given authority over an army for specific tasks or campaigns. No other sea power can compete with Shang's navy. It is much greater in numbers, tonnage and firepower than other cultures. The navy is organized in a similar manner to the army, with the same sort of officer training and promotion system. Most naval bases are located along the southern coast. The fleet principally consists of large, ocean going, sail driven ships. The ships are armed with bronze cannon firing iron or stone shot. Additionally, most ships contain compliments of marines armed with crossbows and swords. Cannons are regarded as too unwieldy and difficult to transport on land. The manufacturing of cannon and gunpowder are completely under government control, and the technology are jealously guarded secrets. Despite this, some other powers have developed gunpowder weapons through leaked secrets or Shang shipwrecks. Religion Before the unification of Shang, there were temples built to beings similar to the kami and yokai of Nippon. They were worshipped out of fear and greed and honored with blood sacrifices. The various warlords competed to build great temples to gain the favor of powerful supernatural beings. After unification, The Great Sage Emperor banned the worship of wild spirits as dangerous and wasteful. The tradition only endures in the form of small village shrines that rural folk pray to at harvest and planting times. As old as any religious tradition, but still encouraged within Shang, is the ancestor cult. At shrines in every home, people pray for their ancestor's guidance. The teachings of the Great Sage Emperor are revered as the guiding principles of Shang society, but the Emperor is not deified. However, he is seen as a true father of the Shang civilization and is represented in every ancestor cult shrine.